What do you offer?
I offer online therapy via video and voice conferencing, email and instant messaging, and sessions via telephone.
What does a therapist need to work online?
When looking for an online therapist they should be relevantly trained e.g. either a certificate or diploma in online therapy. There are differences in the dynamics between seeing a client in person and working with someone on line and this requires additional specialist training. The BACP guidelines says;
“Online provision is a specialist area, requiring a level of competence at least as high as that for face-to-face work.”
What platforms do you use?
I use Vsee or Zoom for video, voice and instant messaging, and ProtonMail for email. All these platforms are securely encrypted. You will be required to join these free services in order to begin therapy.
For online sessions I recommend that you chose a private setting which is comfortable for you, and stick to this spot for each of our sessions. This will help to create the familiarity of a safe and consistent therapeutic space.
How does it differ from in person therapy?
Online therapy does differ from seeing a therapist in person. These differences include asynchronous ways of relating via email and the lack of visual and audio cues. Apart from these physical differences, online therapy still provides very effective emotional support. With video and voice I am still able to use many of the creative tools I use in-person including Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), Matrix Reimprinting, and Matrix Birth Reimprinting.
What can I talk about?
As with in-person therapy you can discuss and explore anything you like although there might be some issues that are better suited to in-person work.
When isn’t online therapy suitable?
Online therapy is not suitable for anyone in a life-threatening crisis or having suicidal or homicidal thoughts. If this is the case please contact a crisis helpline (Samaritans, 116 123), call 999 or go to a hospital A&E department, or go to appropriate services if you are overseas.
Online counselling also isn’t suitable for clients who are suffering from psychiatric disorders and/or are experiencing psychotic episodes and in need of intense support and hospitalisation.
As with my in-person practice I’m not allowed to provide online therapy to anyone under the age of 18.
Email therapy
Email therapy is slightly different in that it’s asynchronous. This means that communication isn’t simultaneous. An appointment will consist of one email exchange per week. We will agree on a set time for the exchange of our messages. You might want to consider spending 50 minutes writing it in order to maintain the boundary of a traditional therapy session. Working this way should give you time to reflect upon your experience, one of the many advantages of this type of therapy. I will also spend 50 minutes reading and composing a reply to your email.
Cost
The cost for online video, voice, instant massaging, and telephone therapy is the same as my in-person fee.
Supervision
I have specific supervision for my online work where clients are presented anonymously by using the first initial of their name.
Ethical Practice
I abide by the code of good practice laid out by the Association for Counselling and Therapy Online (ACTO)
If you are interested in online sessions, please contact me here.